Lock-latch for handbags



B. J. RICHARDSON AND C. S. BARBER LOCK LATCH FOR HANDBAGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15.. 1920.

1,892,967. Patented Oct. 11, 1921f w a I 13 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BR'ODIE J. RICHARDSCN AND CLAIRE S. BARBER, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

LOCK-LATCH FOB HANDBAGS.

Specification of "Letters Patent.

Patenteol' one. 11, 1921;.

Application filed March 15, 1920 Serial No. 366,001.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Bnonm J. RICHARD- SON and CLAIRE- S; BARBER, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Waterbur in the county of New Haven and State ofonnecticut, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lock-Latches for Handbags, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention: relates to improvements in key-operable devices of that class available conjunctively with suitable tenoned hasp for locking together the customary hinged frame-sections of a hand-bag or the like, such devices being well-designated locklatches for hand-bags.

The object of this invention is to provide a lock-latch of the character above indicated, which shall besimple and comparatively inexpensive as regards its construction; which shall embody certainnovel features of construction whereby is facilitated the operationof assembling the various parts thereof, and whereby access to the tumbler of the device shall be rendered markedly involved, save through the medium of a key specially provided therefor; and which shall possess certain well defined advantages over prior analogous constructions. 4

The invention consists in Certain novel combinations, details and parts wherebythe attainment of the foregoing object is ren dered' practicable, and which will be hereinafter more specifically referred, to and set forth in the claims hereto appended.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan. view of a lock latch embodying our said improvements.

Fig. 2 is a view of same partly in rear elevation and partly in section. V

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1, the top plate being removed and the medial portion ofthe operating-bolt being broken away.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the device, the near end wall and a portion of the front wall of the housing being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the applic'ationiof a key to the key-receiving arbor of our improved lock-latch.

F ig. 6. is anenlarged detail plan view of certain minor parts. of the device, detached, the sameshowing a modification of the keyway formed in the key-receiving arbor aforemorals denote like parts throughout the sev- I eral views, we provide a general housing formed, by preference, from a blank of metal in sheet-form, and consisting of a base 2, top-plate 2, front wall 3- and' opposite end-walls 4, 4L.

A centering-spindle 3- is riveted at its lower end to the base 2,. and at sucha point therealong as to rise fixedly therefrom centrally within the housing aforenamed, said centering-spindle being fitted with an annular base-seat 5 for the reception ofa suitable base 5, andsa-id base, while surrounding said centering-spindle detachedly, is limited in its movement downwardly therealong through the medium of the base-seat aforenamed.

The centering-spindle 3' freely pierces, primarily an evener 5 and thereafter an operating-bolt 5", a controlling spring 6, preferably spiral in form, normally encircling said centering-spindle, between said evener and the base a-forenamed, and whose tendency is to indirectly exertan elastic force on the operating-boltaforenamed, to

hold the same atv all times duly protracted, all substantially as set forth in our co-pending application, Serial N10. 845,067, andv to the general subject matter of which our present improvements more particularly relate. V

In this instance the upper portion of the centering-spindle is preferably reduced in diameter relatively to the {lower portion thereof; and, in addition to piercing said evener and said operating-bolt, the same freely pierces thehub- 6f of the segmental tumblerv 7, said tumbler-hub being positioned intermediate the medial section of the operating-bolt aforenamed and the evener aforenamed and serving incidentally to duly space apart these parts.

The tumbler-hub 6' has formed thereon a diametrically reduced, depending boss 7, which extends freely downward through and suitably beyond the evener 5", and bears therein, there being further formed on said tumbler-hub at its upper end, a

diametrically reduced key-receiving arbor 8, which projects upwardly through and somewhat beyond the medial section of the operating-bolt 5 thereabove, and bears therein, .Whereby are insured a more positive and dependable rotative action on the part of the tumbler aforenamed, and a more positive and dependable general action on the part of the evener aforenamed, the latter under the tendency of the controlling spring 6 bearing upwardly thereon.

The tumbler-hubfi is fitted withan appropriate bore 8,'into which projects upwardly, to a suitable extent, the reduced portionfof the centering-spindle afoite'a named, and downwardly along which reduced portion of the centering-spindle, and against the tendency of the spring 6, may be collectively; depressed, as under fingerpressu-re suitably applied thereto, said operating bolt, said evener, and saidtumbler operating therebetween, such downwardj movement of said collective parts being limited by the boss 7 coming in contact with the annularshoulder 9, which serves as a stop therefor and which results from the variation in diameter of said centeringspindle and its said reduced extension, as will be readily understood. 7 j Hence through the medium of the tumblerhub aforenamed conjunctively with said evener, the distending tendency of the controlling spring 6 is transmitted indirectly to said operating-bolt to elastically hold the same at all times duly'protracted, with its medial section in contact with and underlying the top-plate 2, theftumbler 7, including its hub 6", and the key-receiving arbor rising from .said tumbler-hub and v fitted with a suitable key-way 9' being rotatable allasa unit, accordingly, on and relatively to said centering-spindle.

More specifically, "and as definedin our said co-pending application, the medial section ofthe operating-bolt 5' is merged into a, downturned segment 10, which is .merged, in turn, into) a depressed, horizontal segment 10, the latter being merged,

in turn, into a forwardly projectingte minal 10", fitted with anu'pstanding catch 11, said catch having a vertical rear edge and an advance edge curved upwardly and rearwardly, substantially as shown, and said segments and catch-affording terminal being, respectively, correspondingly formed and duplicated at the opposite end of the medial section of the operating bolt 5', when deemed needful or desirable.

The front wall of the housing aforenamed has a fragment thereof drawn inwardly therefrom for the formation of a horizontal ledge 11, whose functioiiwill be madeapparenther'einafter, said front wall being further provided with a suitable opening 11" by way of which the tenon, as 12, of a upwardly drawn,

suitable hasp, as12, may be projected into the interior of the housing aforenamed, and which operation necessitates the engagement by said tenon of the upwardly and rearwardly curved edge of the catch, as 11, provided for cooperation therewith, with the result that said catch is momentarily depressed and, under continued movement inwardly of the tenon, permitted to snapback into a locking engagement with said tenon;

which locking engagement may again be' broken, as through depression of the operating-bolt 5", fitted with said catch, all as in common'practice and as willbe readily understood, the opening and hasp tenon .11 bein employed in duplicate when deemed need 'ul or desirable,and as indicated in the drawing. 7

'Depress1on of the operatmg bolt 5 1s facihtated through the medium of a hollow finger-piece 13, the same "being firmly mounted on the operating-bolt, and having an opening 13 formed centrally in the crown thereof. V

- It is contemplated and preferred that the mounting of the finger-piece 13 shall be elfected by means of opposite lugs 14, 14, so formed thereon as to permit of-thcir being projected downwardly through'openings 15, 15, formed oppositely through the operating-bolt aforenamed, the samebeing finder rotatively encircles at is'lower5end the upper end portion of thehey-receiving arbor 8 and is fitted at its top with an diametrically reduced crown 17, which projects into the opening 13, bears rotatively therein, and has formed therein an exposed key-opening 18, which key-opening is adapted to'be brought, under due rotative manipulation of said keyrfway finder, intodiametric registry with a suitablec'o-acting notch 18, formed in the crown of the finger-piece 13 at'the margin thereof surrounding the opening 13", and preferably into like registry with an additional similar notch 18", diametrically, opposite to the notch 18.

In this instance the finder 17, taking the form of a barrel, has an annular flange19 inturned at its lower end, which flange more directly encircles the upper end'of the arbor 8, and includes a keyrrecess 19, arranged at all times in diametric registry with the lie opening 13 thereabove, andpreferably includes a similar key-recess 19", arranged op.- positely to the key-recess 19 and in like registry, with the said key-opening thereabove.

The arbor 8 projects upwardly through and measurably beyond the operating-bolt 5 by way of a suitable opening 20 formed medially therein, and which opening includes a minor key-clearance 20, arranged at all times in diametriic registry with the notch 18 thereabove, and preferably includes a similar key-clearance-QO", arranged oppositely to the key-clearance 20', and in correspondin registry: withthe notch 18" thereabove, w en employed.

The tumbler 7 occupies at all times a horizontal plane slightly elevated with respect to the ledge 11. Hence,whensaid tumbler shall havebeen so rotated at any time on the centering-spindle 3, say, to theposition indicated in full lines :in Fig. 3, as to cause a marginal segment thereof to overlie said ledge, the operating-bolt 5 will thereby be securely locked against retraction ;;while retraction of said operating-bolt will be permitted whenever the tumbler 7 shall have been so rotated at any time on the centeringspindle-3, say,'to the position indicated in dottedlines in .Fig. 3, as to withdraw the margin of, said tumbler, in its entirety, from its said position overlying. said ledge.

The operation: of rotating the tumbler 7 for the purposes above defined, maybe convenien'tly accomplished only through the medium of a special, relatively flat, suitably notched key, as 21, whose application to the purpose is intentionally, rendered quite in volved, andmay be; stated as follows Assuming that the key-way finder 17 shall have been so; rotatively'shifted as to bring its key-opening 18 out of registry with the notch or notches aforenamed, provided for cooperation therewith, said key-opening and said notch or notches may be readily brought into registry by duly manipulating, rotatively, said key-way finder, as through the medium of the key 21, whose advance end, for this purpose, is measurably inserted into the key-opening 18; and upon the latter bedownwardly through and suitably beyond the medial section of the operating-bolt 5, the key-clearance or key-clearanoes aforenamed, being now in diametric registry with the key-way aforenamed, formed in arbor 8;

whereupon,the edge-recess 21, including a like edge-recess 21", when found needful, beingnow positioned to clear the adjacent margin of the material of the crownvof the finger-piece l3, and the similar edge-recess, 22, including a like edge-recess 22' when found needful, being now positioned to clear the adjacent margin of the material of the medial section of the operatingbolt 5'7, more or less of said edge-recesses as maybe found desirable in practice being contemplated for the key aforenamed,rotationof said key may now beleifected, and through the medium whereof tumbler 7 maybe correspondingly rotated, and in a manner and to an extent to cause some segment of the margin thereof to overlie the ledge 11,

whereby the operating-bolt 5 becomes looked, through the medium of said ledge, against retraction, or to liberate said operaing bolt for retraction, all as will be clearly understood. 7 A

The evener 5 serves both as a yielding retarder of the tumbler 7 when rotated, and as a medium whereby the operating-bolt 5,

including said tumbler, is essentially constrained to move more evenly upwardly and downwardlyalong the centering-spindle 3, the depending portion or portions of said operatingbolt being thereby serviceably held against any undue swinging action, as on a center of movement defined by the me dial, horizontalseetion thereof.

To the foregoing ends the evener 5" has an end-detent 23, which at all times occupies an open recess 23, with Vwhich the downturned segment 10 of the operatingbolt aforenamed is provided, said: recess being ample to afford. measurable clearance immediately beneath saidldetent, to permit a measurable, downward tilting action on the part of said evener, together withlthe detent carried thereby, against the tendency of the controlling spring 6, and independently of the operating-bolt 5'; which action on the part of said evener takes places whenever the tumbler 7 shall be duly rotated on the centering-spindle 3", and by reason of the same engaging, depressing and overriding the small boss 23", afi'orded by said evener, and whose opposition to being so depressed insures the retardatory efiect hereinbefore alluded to on said tumbler by said evener. V

-When deemed advisable, the evener 5." may be provided with a suitable upstanding stop 24, which projects into the; plane of movement of the tumbler 7 and serves to limit the extent of rotative action thereof in either direction of the centering-spindle 3.

It will be noted that the base 5 is maof the housing of our improved device, and whereby riveting the lower, reduced end Hp'ortion of the centering-spindle 3 to said bottom plate is facilitated.

The operation of our improved lock-latch should be apparent from the foregoing description thereof, the'same, in practice be- :ing mounted on one hinged frame-section of a hand-bag, or the like, for cooperation with a suitable, ten'on'ed hasp, mounted on the opposits hinged frame-sectlon of; such hand bag, or the like, as is usual in the art; and

to which end,'the housing of our improved lock-latch 1s,.1n this instance, provided with suitable lateral, opposite extensions fitted,

' respectively, with rivet-openings 24 24:.

It will'be seen that our improved latch "is well adaptedffor the purposes for which it isintended, and further that the same may be IHOCllfiQd'tO a considerable extent,

particularly as regards the specific form of the key-opening 18 in correspondence with the key-way thereunder, a modification whereof 1s shown 1Il -F1g.- 6, together with various minor details of the general con-' struction,

without materially departing from the spirit and principle of our invention, as expressed in and coming within the scope of the claims hereto appended, the

flat 'keymadeuse of being longitudinally cr mped, or otherwise modified in cross-sec i 1. A lock-latch of theclass herein described comprising a housing having an upstanding, shouldered centering-spindle fixed therein; depressible latch-mechanism centered by and operating on said centeringspindle, said latch-mechanism including anv operating-bolt, an evener, and a'spaeing medium, the latter positioned between said operatingbolt and said evener, and fitted with a boss extending downwardly through and beyond the evener, and adapted to engage the shoulder afl'orded by said centeringspindle for limiting the extent of depression of said latch-mechanism. V

. 2. A locklatchof the class herein describedrcomprising' a housing having an upstanding centering-spindle fixed therein; de-

jecting upwardly freely through said operating-bolt, by way of the medial opening therein, and fitted at its top with a keyway adapted tobe brought into registry with said key-clearance, and whose bottom is beneath said operating-bolt; and means coacting with the tumbler'aforenamed whereby saidlatch-mechanism is locked against depression and liberated for depression under varying rotative adjustments of said tumblenr i 3. A lock-latch of theclass'herein'described comprising a housing having a spring-controlled operating-bolt therein; a hollow finger-piece fixed on said operatingbolt and rising therefrom through the'topplate'of saidhousing, said fingenpiece having an opening formed medially in' the crown thereof and including anotch; and a key-way finder, the latter rotatable within said finger-piece and having an exposed keyopening at its top, said key-openingadapted to be brought into and out of diametric'registry with the notch aforenamed. I

- BR-ODIE J. RICHARDSON;

1 CLAIRE S BARBER. 

